Follicular lymphoma (FL) has a high economic burden that increases as patients progress through subsequent lines of therapy, according to a study in commercially insured patients in the US published in the Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research (2020;7[2]:148-157. doi:10.36469/jheor.2020.16784).
“Few studies have estimated the real-world economic burden such as all-cause and [FL]-related costs and health care resource utilization (HCRU) in patients with FL,” explained Nathan Fowler, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and colleagues, who used real-world data to evaluate outcomes in patients who were newly initiated with FL indicated regimens.
The retrospective administrative claims database investigation spanned 598 adults who initiated follicular lymphoma treatment between 2010 and 2013. Participants were followed an average 5.7 years.
All 598 patients in the study received first-line therapy, researchers reported. In addition, 180 patients went on to second-line therapy, 51 patients to third-line therapy, 21 patients to fourth-line therapy, and 10 patients to fifth-line therapy.
Average durations of therapy were 370 days for first-line and 392 days for second-line therapies, according to the study. After that, durations tended to shorten: 162 days on average for third-line, 148 days for fourth-line, and 88 days for fifth-line therapies.
The most common first-line regimens were rituximab (33.6%); combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride (hydroxydaunomycin), vincristine sulfate (oncovin), and prednisone (24%); combination of bendamustine and rituximab (24%), and combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (11.9%).
Rituximab (43.3%) and combination of bendamustine and rituximab (22.8%) were the most common second-line regimens.
Per patient, annualized all-cause healthcare costs ranged from $97,141 for first-line therapy to $424,758 for fifth-line therapy, the study found.
“The primary regimens used across treatment lines conform to those recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines,” Dr Fowler and colleagues concluded.
“The economic burden for patients with FL is high and grows with subsequent lines of therapy,” they added.—.Jolynn Tumolo
